Pad Thai recipe for a flavorsome day
Pad Thai, a stir-fried noodle dish, is a hallmark of Thai cuisine worldwide. It emerged in mid-20th century Thailand as a national favorite. This vegetarian version omits eggs yet captures the essential sweet, sour, and spicy flavors of traditional Pad Thai. It's a dish that promises a rich tapestry of tastes for an unforgettable culinary experience. Let's start cooking.
Gather the following ingredients
For this dish, assemble 200 grams of flat rice noodles, two tablespoons of vegetable oil, one block of pressed, cubed firm tofu, one cup of bean sprouts, a sliced red bell pepper, three chopped green onions, and one-fourth cup crushed unsalted peanuts. Sauce ingredients include three tablespoons soy sauce or tamari, one tablespoon tamarind paste, one tablespoon sugar, and chili flakes to taste (about two teaspoons).
Preparing the sauce
Begin by crafting the sauce, the cornerstone of our Pad Thai's flavor. In a bowl, mix soy sauce or tamari for a gluten-free option, tamarind paste, and sugar until they're well blended. Add chili flakes to taste, aiming for a balance of sweet, sour, and spicy notes that will envelop the noodles in a rich flavor.
Cooking tofu and vegetables
Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add cubed tofu pieces and fry them until they are golden brown on all sides; this should take about five minutes. Then add thinly sliced red bell pepper and saute until they start to soften. It's important not to overcook the vegetables as we want them to retain some crunchiness.
Combining noodles
While your vegetables are cooking, boil water in another pot and cook your flat rice noodles according to package instructions. Usually just soaking them in hot water for about five minutes does the trick until they're soft but still firm to bite. Drain them well before adding them directly into your pan with tofu and vegetables.
Bringing it all together
Pour your previously prepared sauce over the noodles mixed with tofu and vegetables in the pan. Toss everything together ensuring that each strand is evenly coated with that deliciously spicy sauce. Let it cook together for an additional two minutes so that flavors meld perfectly. Finally, sprinkle chopped green onions and crushed peanuts on top before serving hot.
